In a gesture of goodwill, the United Arab Emirates has pardoned 220 Filipinos who were detained within its borders, coinciding with the celebration of the country’s 53rd National Day. The announcement came from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Manila on Monday. The UAE has a tradition of issuing pardons on its national day, which falls on December 2. This year’s pardons were made public on December 26, 2024, and were attributed to the strong diplomatic ties between the UAE and the Philippines. The DFA highlighted that the decision followed a meeting between President Marcos and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in November. The Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi, along with the DFA, is now handling the necessary paperwork to facilitate the swift return of these Filipino nationals to their homeland. The individuals had been held in the UAE for a variety of offenses. This act of clemency follows a similar gesture last June, when 143 Filipinos were pardoned during Eid al-Adha.
UAE Grants Clemency to 220 Filipino Detainees on National Day
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